Method for monitoring prepaid stamps on mail

ABSTRACT

The inventive method is characterized in that the prepaid postage indicia are checked to see if they contain a predefined security feature. If they do not, at least one selected read area of the mail is checked to determine whether it contains a predefined graphic representation of a prepaid postage indicia.

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The invention relates to a method for checking a postage indiciumapplied onto a mailpiece.

[0002] The invention is based on the objective of improving a method ofthe generic type in such a way that postage indicia applied ontomailpieces can be checked quickly and reliably. In particular, a methodis to be provided that allows a large number of postage indicia appliedonto mailpieces to be checked.

[0003] According to the invention, this objective is achieved in thatthe postage indicium is checked to see whether it contains a prescribedsecurity feature and in that, in case the postage indicium does notcontain said security feature, the postage indicium is checked to seewhether at least one selected reading area of the mailpiece contains agraphic representation of a postage indicium.

[0004] It is advantageous to carry out the method in such a way thatmailpieces containing a prescribed graphic representation in theselected reading area are marked as being genuine.

[0005] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterizedby the fact that, if the mailpiece displays a prescribed graphicrepresentation of a postage stamp but does not contain the securityfeature, it is rejected.

[0006] In order to increase the security of the checking procedure, itis advantageous that the postage indicium is irradiated with light inorder to check whether it contains a prescribed security feature.

[0007] In order to further enhance the security of the recognition ofgenuine postage indicia, it is advantageous to determine whether theirradiation with light has brought about a fluorescence.

[0008] Moreover, it is advantageous to determine whether thefluorescence is superfluorescence.

[0009] Further advantages, special features and practical improvementsof the invention ensue from the subordinate claims and from thepresentation below of preferred embodiments of the invention withreference to the drawing.

[0010] The drawing shows:

[0011]FIG. 1 a schematic representation of the path traversed by amailpiece bearing a postage indicium that is to be checked.

[0012] The schematic representation of the path in FIG. 2 shows that thedevice for checking a postage indicium applied onto a mailpiececomprises a conventional fluorescence sensor, a superfluorescence sensorand a symbol recognition unit ACR.

[0013] A first means for checking the presence of a postage indicium,especially a stamp, is referred to as SRU, whereby the abbreviation SRUindicates that, in the simplest case, this device is a Stamp RecognitionUnit that checks the presence of a stamp and/or that ascertains theposition of the stamp.

[0014] The checking device designated as SRU is, for example, afluorescence sensor. Preferably, a light source is arranged in such away that it systematically irradiates the surface of the mailpiece or aselected area of the surface of the mailpiece in such a way that areasapplied onto the mailpiece and provided with a fluorescing agent areexcited to fluoresce. This fluorescence is detected by the fluorescencesensor.

[0015] The fluorescence sensor is preferably coupled to a first meansthat enables the device to change the path of a letter.

[0016] The further checking procedure and/or the further path of theletter can be varied as a function of the result of the examination withthe SRU means that serves to check the presence of a postage indicium.

[0017] Thus, for example, mailpieces that have no fluorescence can berejected from the letter path.

[0018] Moreover, it is advantageous to check the presence of one or moresecurity features. Fundamentally, the presence of a fluorescent dye canalready be checked as a security feature.

[0019] In order to achieve greater protection against forgery, it isadvantageous to use the presence of a fluorescent dye only as a means todetermine the position of a postage indicium and, instead, to check thepresence of other security features when the genuineness is to bechecked.

[0020] In a letter path intended for the conveyance of regular letters,downstream from the checking device designated as SRU, there is a meansfor checking the presence of a security feature.

[0021] In the particularly advantageous case being presented here, asuperfluorescence sensor serves as the means for checking the presenceof the security feature.

[0022] The superfluorescence sensor shown utilizes a physical effectthat had not yet been used so far for checking indicia in order toascertain the genuineness of the postage indicia.

[0023] This effect is an anti-Stokes effect. The anti-Stokes effectcomprises irradiating the postage indicia to be checked with low-energyelectromagnetic radiation having a high intensity, exciting afluorescence of higher-energy electromagnetic radiation and thesubsequent detection of the higher-energy electric radiation.

[0024] This effect differs from the known examination using fluorescencesince, with the known examination methods, an irradiation of the sampleis carried out with higher-energy radiation (for example, UV light)while the subsequent emission involves low-energy radiation (forexample, visible light).

[0025] In the especially preferred embodiment shown, the symbolrecognition unit ACR controls a turning device. Preferably, the turningdevice positions a surface, preferably the surface area containing thefirst security feature, in an area in which it can be checked for thepresence of the security feature.

[0026] Although a second security feature can comprise a wide array offeatures, such as, for example, watermarks, the use of asuperfluorescence sensor is especially advantageous.

[0027] Preferably, the superfluorescence sensor is configured in such away that it can analyze a spectral distribution of the electromagneticradiation it has received.

[0028] Preferably, the superfluorescence sensor also determinesespecially the radiation intensity within a selected spectral range. Inthis manner, the superfluorescence sensor can be adapted to the emissionbehavior of the superfluorescent dye used for the production of thepostage indicia.

[0029] Such an adaptation is especially advantageous, since, forenergy-related reasons, the effect of the superfluorescence is generallyweaker than conventional fluorescence.

[0030] In the direction of the letter path provided for regularmailpieces, there is a symbol recognition unit ACR downstream from thesuperfluorescence sensor.

[0031] Optionally, between the fluorescence sensor SFL S and the symbolrecognition unit ACR, there are additional devices for checking and/orconveying mailpieces. The case shown is a turning segment for letters.

[0032] However, it is likewise possible to omit the turning segment oroptionally to replace it by other conveying, sorting or positioningmeans. The individual means here are adapted to the mailpieces to bechecked, especially taking into consideration the security stages to beattained and the type of mailpieces. Taking the type of mailpieces intoconsideration is especially advantageous since the method shown issuitable for checking the postage indicia of all kinds of letters aswell as freight shipments.

[0033] The other means shown can also be replaced by means havingequivalent functions, for example, the sensors shown can be replaced bycameras.

[0034] Preferably, the symbol recognition unit ACR has at least onesensor. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the sensor isconnected to a data processing unit, for example, via a data line.Graphic information transmitted from the sensor is forwarded via thedata line.

[0035] The symbol recognition unit ACR is preferably configured in sucha way that it recognizes graphic symbols and associates them withgraphic characters. This is why it is referred to as an Advanced ColorRecognizer.

[0036] The symbol recognition unit ACR is connected to a data processingunit, and the data processing unit allows and/or supports a comparisonof the graphic information with the stored representations of postageindicia.

[0037] The symbol recognition unit can be connected to a computer. It ispossible to equip the symbol recognition unit with its own computer.Particularly in large checking centers for postage indicia, for example,in mail centers, however, it is advantageous for several symbolrecognition units to be connected to a central computer.

[0038] The term “computer” is not to be construed in any limitingmanner. It can be any unit that is capable of performing computations,for example, a work station, a personal computer, a microcomputer or acircuit that is suitable for performing calculations and/or comparisons.

[0039] The use of a central computer for several symbol recognitionunits is especially advantageous since this allows the input of newpostage indicia, for example, new postage stamps, in one singleprocessing step for several devices.

[0040] However, by the same token, the symbol recognition units ofseveral mail centers can be networked with a central computer that worksfor several mail centers. In this manner, a checking center can assumethe checking tasks for several mail or freight centers. For example, apostal service provider can operate a central computer for several,preferably for all mail and/or freight centers.

[0041] The computer contains a database with a learning system forpurposes of learning symbols. These symbols are preferably graphicrepresentations of postage stamps or other postage indicia. Preferably,a freely selectable subset is generated as the current database from afull set of data contained in the database.

[0042] When the database is used, it is advantageous for informationabout the postage indicia and/or process instructions to be transmittedto the individual devices. Such process instructions are preferablyautomated processing schemes or program routines that preferably controlone or more functions of the device for purposes of checking the postageindicia.

[0043] The symbol recognition unit preferably comprises one or moresensors that evaluate color information, especially local distributionsof color information, and compare them to prescribed symbols.

[0044] Preferably, the symbol recognition unit serves to recognizeprescribed postage indicia, especially postage stamps.

[0045] Although it is possible to connect a symbol recognition unit to adata processing unit, it is even more advantageous to connect severalsymbol recognition units ACR to one or more central data processingunits. The central data processing unit preferably comprises a databasewith an expandable data memory containing information for recognizingsymbols so that the recognition rate can be further improved byevaluating preceding executions of the checking procedure.

[0046] It is especially advantageous to use the device presented tocarry out a checking procedure as follows:

[0047] Mailpieces MP are first carried along a prescribed letter path tothe means SRU for checking the presence of a specific postage indicium,especially a postage stamp.

[0048] If the checking with the means designated as SRU for checking thepresence of a postage indicium, especially a postage stamp, reveals thata postage indicium, especially a postage stamp, is present for which thepresence of the security feature is to be expected, then a checkingprocedure is carried out to see whether said security feature isactually present.

[0049] In checking the actual presence of a security feature, it isespecially advantageous to use a superfluorescence sensor, SFL S.

[0050] In the vicinity of the SFL S means used to check the presence ofa security feature, it is checked whether superfluorescence is present.In order to check the presence of superfluorescence, it is checked here,too, whether higher-energy radiation is emitted.

[0051] For example, after a preceding irradiation with infrared light,it is checked whether visible light is emitted. As an alternative, forexample, after irradiation with visible light, it is checked whetherlight in the UV range is emitted. Advantageously, here a spectraldistribution of the light emitted from the area of the mailpiece isexamined and/or it is checked whether this light contains spectralcomponents having a predefined wavelength and intensity.

[0052] Since substances, especially dyes with components of rare earthatoms, that have one or more discrete fluorescence lines are used forthe production of forgery-proof superfluorescent dye, it is possible inthis manner to recognize whether a genuine superfluorescent dye ispresent.

[0053] The above-mentioned means for checking security features can bereplaced by means that fulfill the same function.

[0054] Moreover, at suitable places in the device, it is advantageous tocreate possibilities to reject mailpieces on which one or more of thesecurity features are not found and/or that do not contain a prescribedgraphic symbol as a postage indicium.

[0055] The result of the checking for the presence of superfluorescencecan have different consequences in different embodiments of theinvention for the execution of the further checking procedure and/or thedetection of postage indicia as genuine.

[0056] In order to achieve the greatest possible security, for example,the method can be carried out in such a way that only those postageindicia are recognized as genuine that have a superfluorescent dye aswell as a stamp-like graphic representation of the postage indicium tobe examined.

[0057] On the other hand, postage indicia that do not havesuperfluorescence such as, for example, postal markings or sendercancellations can nevertheless be recognized as genuine if the presenceof an appropriate graphic symbol is checked.

[0058] The method described allows a great flexibility in its executionand in its adaptation to various security standards and/or throughputrates.

1. A method for checking a postage indicium applied onto a mailpiece,characterized in that the postage indicium is checked to see whether itcontains a prescribed security feature and in that, in case the postageindicium does not contain the security feature, the postage indicium ischecked to see whether at least one selected reading area of themailpiece contains a graphic representation of a postage indicium. 2.The method according to claim 1, characterized in that mailpieces thatcontain a recognized graphic representation in the selected-reading areaare marked as being genuine.
 3. The method according to claim 1,characterized in that, if the mailpiece displays a prescribed graphicrepresentation of a postage stamp and does not contain the securityfeature, the mailpiece is recognized as having been forged.
 4. Themethod according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterizedin that the postage indicium is irradiated with light in order to checkwhether it contains a prescribed security feature.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 4, characterized in that it is checked whether theirradiation with light has caused a superfluorescence.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 5, characterized in that it is checked whether thefluorescence is superfluorescence.
 7. The method according to one ormore of the preceding claims, characterized in that, if one or moresecurity features are not present, the mailpiece is rejected.